


I got you a cane

by maigonokaze



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anon Prompt, Black Hill - Freeform, F/F, Growing Old, Hospitals, Injury, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Stark Tech, Tumblr Prompt, Why do I always write Maria and Natasha in the hospital?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maigonokaze/pseuds/maigonokaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anon prompt: Natasha Romanoff/Maria Hill - growing old together.<br/>Natasha faces the prospect of a future without fieldwork and Maria brings her a present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I got you a cane

“I got you a cane. You’re going to love it.”

Natasha looked up as Maria slid into her hospital room. Her wife looked entirely too pleased with herself for someone who had come to keep her company in physical therapy. “Should I be scared?”

Maria grinned as she settled into the chair next to Natasha’s bed and tossed a small package to her. The box was only a foot long and seemed like something that would better hold a necklace or a knife than a cane. Natasha opened it and pulled out a rod smaller than the width of her finger. The black handle was carved with her signature red hourglass. “Subtle.”

“Shake it out,” Maria urged. When Natasha did so, the cane extended, metal segments clicking into place to create a single, solid form. If it weren’t for the bold, white “Stark” logo at the base, Natasha would have scoffed at the idea that such a light, thin cane would be capable of supporting an adult's weight. Natasha flipped the cane up in her hand. There was no hilt to speak of, but at the base of the knob, she found small grooves that fit her hand like a fencer’s handle.

“Functional and formidable,” she observed.

Maria nodded. “I thought it would be a good fit for you.”  

Natasha smirked in agreement, but she felt a knot forming in her stomach. She twisted the handle and pulled. If she had thought the cane was thin, it was nothing compared to this needle of a blade with razor-sharp edges and a finely-crafted point. “I like it.”

Maria lifted out of her chair just enough to lean over and kiss her wife. “But you’re still upset.”

“I’m never going to move the same,” Natasha stated.

“Physical therapy will help. You’ll be able to walk, run, do everything you need to do.”

“But not the way I used to. Not the way I need to in the field.”

Maria sighed and shook her head. “No. We’re going to have to pull you off all field assignments.” Natasha didn’t say anything, but Maria saw her shoulders tighten. “Nat, this isn’t a bad thing.”

Natasha fiddled with the cane until she found the notch that, when pressed, caused the length to retract. “No, now I can what? Babysit recruits? Supervise field ops?”

“Sure, if you want to,” Maria said. “But Fury and I were thinking more along the lines of handing you the Didymo Project.”

Natasha cocked her head. “Alright then. I thought Coulson was taking that one on.”

“No. He knows how to manage powered people; but – that one time he got killed notwithstanding –  he doesn’t know how to fight alongside them. _You_ do. You can pick your agents, build your team. We need people who can stand side-by-side with the Avengers, the way you and Clint did.”

Natasha grinned. “So a step up from babysitting the recruits, at least.”

“Hey, if they don’t listen to you, you can always beat them with your cane.” That earned an honest laugh from Natasha. The moment of levity was cut short, though, by a knock at the door.

The physical therapist waited for Natasha to notice him and then stepped into the room, moving to the side of her bed. “Alright, Agent Romanoff, let’s get that new hip of yours moving.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Marvel or profit in any way from writing fanfiction. I do really like getting feedback, though!


End file.
